Moaning with Myrtle
by wazlibsgrl
Summary: Draco had visited this particular bathroom quite a few times this year and had found comfort in one of its occupants. Draco knew he had work to do, he shouldn’t be here, but he longed to enter the room and talk to her.


**Disclaimer:** I do not own Harry Potter. I am simply borrowing some of the characters JK Rowling created to play with for a while. No infringement is intended.

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Rain was pouring down upon the grounds surrounding the Hogwarts castle. As one loud crack of thunder ripped through the air, the boy with the pale pointed face smirked. He watched the last stragglers run inside the great front doors with frowns imprinted upon their faces. They were disappointed that the storm had ruined another beautiful night. Draco Malfoy, however, welcomed the rain. It seemed to fit perfectly with the feeling of hopelessness that had overtaken his body and soul for the last few months.

Draco stood from the place he sat by the lake and began to slowly make his way to the castle. He needed to be working on that cabinet in the Room of Requirement. It seemed like he would never be able to mend it, but he had to keep trying; it was the best plan he had. Everything else he had tried so far had gone horribly wrong. Despite the fact that his parents were Death Eaters, and he had been raised to treat others with cruelty; ultimately, Draco didn't want to hurt anybody.

Draco kicked the door in frustration as he walked into the Entrance hall. Katie Bell was still in Saint Mungos. He hadn't meant for anyone other that Dumbledore to be hurt by that necklace, but he should have expected it. _"It was both clumsy and foolish"_ Snape's words echoed in Draco's ears as he climbed the steps.

He began to mentally list all the different times and ways Snape had tried to thwart him this year. He was convinced that Snape was trying to steal the mission the Dark Lord gave him and take all the glory along with it. Draco was so deep in his thoughts of Snape that he didn't even realize that he had walked straight into a bushy-haired girl until she had fallen over and dropped one of her many enormous books on his foot.

"Oh Merlin, I'm so sor-" but the girls apology immediately ceased when she looked up and saw who she was speaking to.

"Watch where you're going, Mudblood."

Draco smirked at the look of loathing Hermione gave him as he stepped around her and continued on his way. He had barley even noticed how her eyes were puffy and her face was blotchy. He knew why she had been crying: Weasley. Another one of his plans had backfired just yesterday. As much as he hated the blood traitor, he had never meant for him to be poisoned. _Lucky Potter was there to save him._ Draco snorted as he thought it. The golden trio and the rest of the Weasley clan had been barley left the hospital wing over the last two days; it was sickening how much they cared for one another. Draco began to wonder how many people would cram into the hospital wing if he had been poisoned._ Not as many as Weasley's got, _he thought bitterly.

Draco stopped as he reached the door, it was not however the door to the Room of Requirement, but the door to the boys bathroom. Draco had visited this particular bathroom quite a few times this year and had found comfort in one of its occupants. Draco knew he had work to do, he shouldn't be here, but he longed to enter the room and talk to her. _She probably won't even be in there,_ Draco tried to convince himself. _I'll just go in, take a whiz, and then I'll go work on the cabinet._

Without hesitation he pushed open the door and looked around expectantly, and at last he spotted her. Floating above the sink in the corner was the ghost of a round faced girl with dark hair and thick glasses.

"I knew you'd come back," she said dreamily. "How are you?

Draco stepped into the bathroom and strode briskly to the stalls slamming each of them open with his fist. Once he was sure there was no one there and no chance of being overheard he leaned against the wall and glanced at the ghost called Myrtle.

"I'm not so good," he answered as he slid down the wall and sat on the floor, putting his head on his knees.

Myrtle floated slowly over to him. "I'm not doing so well either. Some Hufflepuffs were teasing me this morning; they were calling me fat," she said mournfully. "But what's the matter with you? It's the mission isn't it? Are you any closer to finishing it?"

"No," Draco said as he lifted his head from his knees. Tears were streaming in a constant flow down his face. "I feel like I'm getting further and further away."

"We shouldn't put up with being bullied anymore," Myrtle said suddenly. "You can give up on your mission, just say you're not going to do it anymore, and I'll go tell those Hufflepuffs off for making fun of me."

"I can't just decide not to do it, Myrtle. If I don't do it, he'll probably kill me.

"What are you talking about Draco? Who would kill you?"

Draco hesitated; he wasn't sure how much he should tell Myrtle, he didn't know if she could be trusted. "My master," he answered shortly.

"But surely, he wouldn't kill you would he?"

"He would," Draco answered. "You don't know how much I wish I could just give up, how much I wish I could just say I'm not going to do it anymore," he said as he ran his hand up his left forearm, "But it's too late. I've already said I'd do it, there's no going back now."

"If there's anything I can do to help," Myrtle began. But Draco cut her off.

"There isn't."

They both sat in silence for a while, each absorbed in their own thoughts. Silent tears still streamed down Draco's cheeks as Myrtle watched him sadly. As the tears spilled out of Draco's eyes so did some of his fears, and some of the heavy burden that had been thrust upon him lifted. Even though he was no closer to finding a way to kill Albus Dumbledore and no closer to coming to terms with the fact that he was either going to have to murder or be murdered, he was starting to feel better.

"If only I could find a way to keep Snape off my back," Draco said. "It would make things so much easier."

"Maybe he really does just want to help you," Myrtle said.

"No, Myrtle. I already told you, he just wants to do it himself so he can have the glory. If I could just get him to leave me alone long enough, I might be able to find a better way to do it."

"Don't let him bully you into telling him your plans," Myrtle said, immediately changing her opinion of Snape. "If he finds out what you're doing, he'll be able to find a way to stop you."

"Don't worry, I won't. Just as long as Crabbe and Goyle keep their mouths shut and don't tell him where I'm working on it I should be okay."

Draco stood up and walked over to the nearest sink, looking in the mirror above it. His face had blotches of pink mixed in with the pale white. His cheeks were tear-stained, and his gray eyes were swollen and puffy. His blonde hair was sticking up in places from all the times he had run his hands through it due to stress. He looked so defeated, and he hated it.

"Myrtle?" he asked, almost tentatively.

"Yes?"

"Do you think I'm weak? You know, because I've been crying."

"No," Myrtle replied, shocked at his question. "Of course not. You're not afraid to let you're feelings show. Crying shows just how brave you are."

Draco smiled at Myrtle's reflection in the mirror, though it came out as more of a grimace, as he silently disagreed with her. He was weak, and he knew it. He wiped a few stray tears from his face and stood up a little straighter. This did nothing to help with his blotchy face or puffy eyes at all. Draco scowled at his reflection. He turned on the cold water and bent down to splash some on his face. He looked up at his reflection again once he had finished. It was still obvious he'd been crying, but it would have to do. If he met anyone on his way to the Room of Requirement he'd just have to hex them.

"Well Myrtle, I have to get going now. I need to go work on the mission."

"Good luck then, and if you ever want to talk, you know where to find me."

"Thanks Myrtle," Draco replied, smiling his first true smile of the night.

"Oh, and Draco," Myrtle said, batting her eyelashes as he turned to leave. "If your master does kill you, you're welcome to come share my toilet."

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**A/N:** I know it's kind of short, but I'm planning to go back and edit it sometime, and I'll probably make it longer then. Please leave a review and let me know what you thought, even if you hated it, I'd love to have your feed back, and constructive criticism is appreciated. Thanks for reading and hopefully reviewing!! 


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